Notes: Hunter-Reay has eye on special '500' prize

By
Dave Lewandowski
| Published:
May 30, 2014

DETROIT – It’s black, has four wheels and 505 horsepower under the hood, and Ryan Hunter-Reay is looking forward to getting the phone call to pick up the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28.

It’s one of his prizes for winning the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on May 25. The Z/28 was introduced for the 1967 model year, discontinued in 1974 and reintroduced in 1977. In 1982, the third-generation Camaro Z28 was Motor Trend’s Car of the Year (the / disappeared in 1972).

His first car was a black Camaro Z28.

“That’s amazing. Ironic really,” Hunter-Reay said. “This the first year they came out with it. I’m really looking forward to getting that back home. It’s a car that I’ll definitely use. That’s the great thing about this race. You win the race and then you start thinking about all the things that comes with it. You’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I get my face on the trophy and the pace car and the check that comes with it.’ ’’

The 98th edition of the Indy 500 marked the eighth time that a Camaro was the pace car. Three-time “500” winner Dario Franchitti was the honorary driver.

The Indianapolis 500 Pace Car returns to lead the field in the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans.

He said it

Verizon IndyCar Series rookie Mikhail Aleshin, driver of the No. 7 SMP Racing car for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, on competing in the first oval race of his career:

"Before the Indianapolis 500, I would have said that a track like Detroit would have been more comfortable for me. I was really surprised with how natural I felt driving on the oval in Indianapolis, however. There are drivers who love ovals and drivers who hate ovals, and I found out quickly that I love them."

Of note

Honda-powered cars have won the past three races, while Chevrolet won the first two of the season. … Team Penske's Helio Castroneves won his first Indy car race on the Belle Isle course in 2000 and won again in 2001. … KV Racing Technology driver Sebastian Saavedra celebrates his 24th birthday on June 2. ... The Firestone primary tires for Belle Isle are the same construction and specification as used at St. Petersburg and Long Beach earlier this season. The same alternate tires are being used on all street course races this season. ... Dover Motorsports has sold Nashville Superspeedway to a local company for $27 million and assumption of bond obligations totaling $18 million.